Verify the legal supplier and available product
Match the legal name on the agreement to the regulator’s current certification records. Check whether the offer is available for your utility, class, commodity and requested term. A supplier may offer different products to residential and commercial customers. Do not transplant a household advertisement into a business cost model or assume a brand operates in every Ohio territory.
Ask for the complete pricing attachment
Request the contract documents alongside the quote. Identify fixed versus variable components, fees, usage conditions and any third-party pass-throughs. For a named supplier such as Direct Energy, use the same request you send other eligible providers. This keeps the comparison about the product being offered now rather than reputation claims, an old promotion or a rate from another state.
Examine renewal and service expectations
Record the contact method for billing questions, the procedure for correcting an invoice and any renewal or termination notice requirements. Determine how the agreement treats a move, sale of the business or material load change. Ask whether a quoted rate is firm or indicative and how long it is valid. Resolve uncertainties before contracting, particularly if different representatives describe the offer differently.
Separate certification from commercial judgment
Certification is an important eligibility check, not a guarantee that a particular price or contract is best. Compare the offer’s total modeled cost, exclusions and operational fit. Avoid relying on unsupported claims about a supplier’s financial strength or customer satisfaction. If an issue matters to the decision, seek current primary documentation and retain it with the quote.
A practical example
Illustrative explanation, not a customer outcome.
A hypothetical supplier quote with an energy rate and an unspecified capacity adjustment cannot be fairly compared with a fully inclusive rate. First obtain the adjustment formula or mark that exposure as unresolved; entering zero would create false precision.
Put the review into practice
| Review step | What to record |
|---|---|
| Match the request | Use the same utility, class, quantities, start and term. |
| Resolve exclusions | Ask how every omitted cost is calculated; unknown is not zero. |
| Read the exit terms | Review renewal, cancellation, relocation and usage conditions. |
| Retain the evidence | Save the dated quote, complete agreement and decision rationale. |
Questions worth asking
Is this a Direct Energy endorsement?
No. This is a supplier-evaluation framework, not a current product endorsement.
Are online advertised rates binding?
Only the supplier’s actual offer and acceptance process establish the applicable contract terms.
Continue the comparison
Sources and scope
Reviewed October 15, 2026. Follow the source’s own data period, effective dates and current terms. Examples are hypothetical unless expressly identified as a dated published result. A source is context, not a guarantee of eligibility or a product endorsement.